I Love You AND I Like You!(Covenant Love)

My friend, Sue Cramer of Praise and Coffee, wrote yet another blog that got me thinking once again.

I love that!

In Sue's blog she relates a story about her cutie-pie daughter, Lauren, and her latest escapades (having to do with motorcycle gear. Yeah. I'm thinking motocross queen) and current words of wisdom. 

I tell ya (as a former pre-school teacher)…

All the best lines come from the mouth's of four and five year olds!

So at one point in the tale we are made privvy to a sweet confession from daughter to Daddy.

"I love you and I like you."

Isn't that the sweetest thing? Of course, this got the gears in my brain rolling.

I mean seriously. Think about those words.

It can be very easy to rattle off the words "I love…"

I love Saturday's.

I love pizza.

I love Doctor Who. ( No. Truly. I do)

I love…you.

A simple three word sentence infused with great meaning. Yet, some how those simple words can often lose their value when used haphazardly.

Love can mean a lot of things to different people and undergo a variety of definitions.

Of course, I suppose the word "like" can experience something similar.

I like flowers.

I like sunshine.

Although, don't you get the sense that "like" is infused with a kind of friendliness? A desire to have whatever…or whomever…we "like" to be part of our life. There is a kind of comfort level rooted within "like" not necessarily associated with the word "love" all the time.

Think of how much deeper those words "like" and "love" could be…and are…when combined.

Perhaps implying a covenant meaning. More than like. More than love.

I love you AND I like you.

Sue suggests in her blog to try saying "I love you and I like you" to your spouse.

So I did.

I always like to "guinea pig" my husband with new stuff, ya know?

So as I was dropping him off to work I shouted out the window as I was leaving 

"HEY! I love you AND I like you!"

He smiled.  He even laughed a little. 

"Ditto!"

You see, he knew I meant it.

I love my husband. I like him too. He's my husband, my life-partner, the father of my children.

Most importantly he's my friend. I want him to be a part of my life and to be part of his.

A deeper kind of friendship (like-love) that is bound by more than a promise.

Covenant.

In marriage it isn't always easy to say "I love you and I like you" to your husband or wife.

That's reality.

Living with the same person every day for years, well, let's just say it can get "old". People can develop irritating habits or life circumstances can make things difficult or put a strain on a relationship. Grass can look greener as the saying goes.

I love you and I like you.

Covenant.

I love you and I like you.

Even when you don't. You stick it out because it's covenant. More than a promise. Something deeper.

Oh what a wonderful thing it is when you realize you can say those words…and truly mean them.

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